Bania dating

Found chiefly in northern and western India; strictly speaking, however, many mercantile communities are not Banias, and, conversely, some Banias are not merchants. In the fourfold division of Indian society, the innumerable Bania subcastes, such as the Agarwala, are classed as members of the Vaishya, or commoner, class. In religious affiliation they are generally Vaishnavas (worshippers of the Hindu god Vishnu) or Jainas and tend to be strict vegetarians, teetotallers, and orthodox in observing ceremonial purity.

Bania is a general term that is used to refer to a diverse set of Hindu communities.

It is derived from the Sanskrit word Banijya, which means trade and commerce. The modern usage of the term has been popularized by the Rajputs. Generally, Agarwals are considered as one of the largest and most influential of the Bania communities from northern India. Other large communities from the region include Khandelwals, Oswals and Parwars. Also, the merchant community of Gujarat is also known as Banias.